Drive
by njking24
Summary: Hiruzen Sarutobi tries desperately to keep an unstable Uzumaki Naruto on the right path,while also preparing a weak an unprepared Konoha for war. Meanwhile Hyuuga Haishi does his best to keep a solemn promise to his dying wife, and protect his daughters so he doesn't loose the last vigils of hope in his life. Drive allows the next generation to stand on the shoulders of the old.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning!**

**This story is a slow read, its written, and will be written in a manner some might not appreciate The style i used emulates classic scifi meaning slow detailed writing and varied perspective shifts. Some might not l Like it, i realize that much. I understand that much and i can appreciate you not liking it. **

**I decided to work on this instead of farmer Naruto. When this is released ill get started on farmer Naruto. I also got me a graphic tablet, which means I've been working on a farmer Naruto title image. Ill change it when I think it's complete. **

**ANYWAYS!**

**This story sorta focuses on what drives character, hence the tile "drive". It focuses on motivation, and as the story progresses I plan to expose you to the deep intracasies that drives the various characters of this story I introduce some important story elements early on, and the characters introduced here will be taking the center stage for the next few chapters. I hope you like this story.**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**xx-xxx-xxx**

"Tell me, sweet wife...what are we thinking?" His words came out solemnly, slowly, and nearly inaudible. Those seven short words, whispered in the quite mid-morning sun expressed far more than appeared. They expressed the completion that was _them_, the fact that they made each other whole, and her thoughts were his, and vice versa. Despite his she heard, and her smile drove home a sense of fulfillment and joy he knew he would never quite feel again once she was gone.

"I feel like the dead." She chuckled at her own joke, her voice-a sympotheney of sweet bells- accenting the innocence of her laughter. For her he smiled, but on the inside he felt a deep pitted anguish, a spiteful hole that seemed to get dug deeper at her words. At first when her sickness had first appeared after the birth of his second child, it had been a joke. A light hearted jab at her sickness when it was still thought she could be healed, but as time went on, as she got sicker, as the brilliant flame of a women he had married slowly dimmed, and it was obvious a cure couldn't be found, the joke stopped being funny to him, and in a way stopped being a joke to her. Now it was a thinly veiled resignation; she was dying and both of them knew it.

She recognized his half hearted laugh as disdain and tried to change the subject.

"We husband, are thinking of our first."

His first, Hinata, his eldest child, already at the age of four the girl was a near clone of her mother, he could see her soft lips, her lush black hair, her pale lavender shaded eyes.

"Tell me what do we think of dear Hinata?"

"That every day she grows more like me, that when I'm gone you'll resent her for being me, yet not me." Her words hit home; a strike across his face that had even more impact because he realized the truth in her words. Already he could recall moments in which he shunned his daughter because of her uncanny similarity to her mother. Shame filled his heart. His wife-his other, perhaps better half-noticed.

"Fret not, even without me I'm sure you will love her, all I ask is your treat her kindly, she's gentle and Hyuuga way of life far from favors the gentle. Now tell me Husband what do we think?"

Haishi pondered her question and, for a few moments, delved into the pits of his mind.

"We think of you, and of us, and of the whole that we are, and what we will be without you. That dearest wife, is what we think."

"Of us? Do we think of love, or passions of the flesh?"

"I think of our completion. What is a man without his wife? Incomplete, a mere half of a whole."

"You were whole without me.."

"I was not, i was half yet i considered myself whole because I knew no better. Yet, now that I know what it is to be whole, I will feel empty, a void where my other half should be."

At this his wife smiled, and he in response smiled as well. They settled in a comfortable silence, he listened to her raged breathing as he watched her. Even in sickness, even as her brilliant radiance dimmed to a dull flame she was still beautiful. Truly, Haishi noted, his wife was a thing of beauty, an act of workmanship by the Kami and a light unto humanity that came once in a lifetime. This silence, and his love filled adoration was interrupted by the patter of small feet. He smiled, his eldest, only she had the audacity, and right, to interrupt the tempered silence that surrounded them.

As she approached the sound she made lessened, and eventually faded as she walked as slowly and quietly as she could to the door. A quick rap on the door notified her wish to enter.

"Please enter Hinata, you mother wishes to see you."

The girl rushed in as silently as she could, relatively speaking-for one of her age-she was completely silent. He noted her, this miniature version of his wife, this tiny mixture of both him and his love. She held in her hands a small flower, its ornate beauty a strange mixture of red and blue, yellow, and purple, its stem a light leafy green.

"How pretty, did you bring that for me?"

"Hai Kaa-san, I saw it and it reminded me of you, cause' it's beautiful."

"How sweet of you, come give your Kaa-san a hug." The girl rushed forward, and wrapped her small arms firmly around her mother's neck. The women moved deeper into the hug, feebly she attempted to lift her arms to recuperate. She failed and fell back into a fit of coughing.

For a moment she stared deeply into her daughters eyes. "Be...strong for me Hinata."

"Kaa-san Im sorry! Did i hurt you?" The child's voice held a quiver.

"Be strong..."

"Hinata...i think it's time you leave."

"Okay Tou-san, I love you Kaa-san." Her only response was rampant coughing from her mother.

"Leave Hinata."

"But Tou-san... Kaa-san didn't say she loved me back."

"Leave!" Regret filled his heart as the shout left his mouth and his daughter, tears streaming down her face, ran out the room. He let out a deep sigh as he turned his attention back to his wife. Her coughs were blood chilling, loud pain-filled things that took with them speckles of fresh blood.

"Haishi...kiss me."

He looked down at her, her face strained, blood peeking past her lips, her hair now in disarray, and frowned. How, how, just how could someone so close to death, so close to the edge death, look at him with such beauty, and capture his will so? It was almost sinful.

"Of course." He kissed her, and would forever hold the last memory of his wife as the iron tainted taste of her lips on his own.

xxx-xxx-xxx

Sapphire orbs of blue watched with vapid interest, their owner - a small and frail child with sunny blond hair, and an inquisitive mind that seemed to forever seek for answers- had never seen a funeral before, and the entire operation was something of great interest to him. So, with a vapid, almost twisted sort of interest, he looked on.

They were walking morbidly, slowly, towards a cemetery. Between them-meaning the four, long obsidian haired men- they carried a mahogany colored thing. Perhaps the body was held within, he wondered.

He noted the people walking along with the box. There was a small girl, she was garbed in all black and as she walked her face was a mask of torment, tears slowly fell down her face. Next to her a hard faced man walked as well, he looked strikingly like the girl; maybe he was her father? He too was garbed in all black, and the air around him seemed to be twisting and turning, shaping itself into a morbid form of depression that infected all he seemed to walk by.

Briefly he turned his attention back to his ramen, quickly he slurped up the instant noodles and grabbed a piece of shrimp to pop into his awaiting maw. Naruto liked ramen, the food was easy to make, easy to carry, tasty, and perhaps more importantly easy to understand. The concept of Instant ramen came easily to him; the noodles were partially cooked and then placed in the cup, the shrimp and meats were dried and preserved as were the vegetables, the seasoning was a combination of rosemary, salt, chicken bouillon cubes, along with a few other he couldn't quite remember.

He liked to understand, and had a rather fanatical dislike of not holding knowledge to a particular question that was dogging him.

Once again his attention was back on the funeral, the party was closer now, his sharp eyes were starting to pick up details he hadn't quite noted. Like the fact that almost everyone in the funeral had no pupils, clear cream white eyes that seemed to stare boldly, almost defiantly into the space surrounding them. These people, Uzumaki Naruto decided, interested him. His decision was made before the thought even started to occur to him he would follow these people, see how this funeral ended and then, with part of his question answered approach these strangely similar folk and get his questions answered.

Quietly the four year old blond shifted into the shadows of the surrounding Konoha streets. His eyes all the while watched the continuing progression.

Ten minutes later the progression had reached Konoha's Cemetery grounds. The place was split into a number of sections and subdivisions, and the progression was moving slowly and steadily towards the clan section. He allowed a small frown on his face, then that frown quickly morphed into a smile as he realized this would be a _challenge_. He enjoyed challenges.

Quickly-far faster than expected of one of his age- he slipped from behind the building wall and slid into one of the many trees that surrounded the Konoha cemetery. Quickly moving from one tree to another he followed the funeral to an dug hole just inside a dual gated fence some ten yards away from him. Despite the distance he could pick up the faint sounds of a man speaking, and see the surrounded people, all with heads bowed.

"A mother...a wife...wonderful...loved..missed dea-..."

Then the box was dropped into the hole and the people started a slow and somber move back. He followed the dark haired man with the small girl for some time, slowly they progressed through Konoha, moving from the business district, and slowly arriving at the residential district. He followed sliding from building to building as the man took a turn, suddenly the man-and his daughter- was gone. He let out a silent cure...he's lost them.

Then the world shuddered, for the briefest of moments his mind seemed to fold into itself, he wanted to curl up into a ball and hide away from the world. He wanted to disappear, hide, die, anything to get away from this feeling. It was overpowering. Then it came with a voice.

"Boy, why are you following me?" It was the man, his face just as hard, the aura of depression replaced by a muted anger. Next to him the crying girl firmly grasped his hand.

"I was interested." The answer seemed obvious to Naruto, he was interested, he wanted to know...so he followed. Now this feeling, this depression, this oppression he seemed capable of inflicting on him made him more interested.

"Interested?" The word confounded Haishi, such a vague term. Was the funeral of his wife interesting? Or perhaps this boy was interested in something else? His eyes flashed quickly to his daughter and a protective anger flared briefly into his mind. "In what?"

The boy stopped at the questioning, his face taking on a hard contemplative look. He smiled as he reached a realization, as if a sudden thought had occurred to him, and this thought would completely answer Haishi Hyuuga's question.

"Everything!"

"That answer is far from satisfactory boy. You've answered nothing I've wished for you to answer. Again, _child_,"Haishi stressed the , "give me a reason why you're following me, and a reason I shouldn't take you to your parents to have your hide stripped raw."

The boy looked contemplatively. "I don't understand," and he earnestly didn't. Uzumaki Naruto lacked the knowledge, the vocabulary to speak, to convey into words his ideas. It would be years before he could explain _all _things interested him, that the entirety of the pantheon of existence, from the smallest insect, the greatest of mountains drove him with a subtle and insatiable madness, in a quest for answers.

"I can't explain why I followed you," he stopped for a moment, "but I will find a way to explain to you. I promise." A broad toothed grin spread on the boy's mouth, and Haishi couldn't help but to smile-in his more subtle fashion- along with the child. "And as for why you shouldn't take to to my parents it's cause I have none."

Haishi was surprised at the blunt simplicity of the boy's statement. He noted the boy's small frame, took the boys words to realize he was an orphan, and truly set his gaze upon the child. The boy was small, scrawny even, his body was wire thin, he had long blond locks the color of liquid sunlight flowing down his face. Garbed in a white shirt with a blood red spiral placed atop it. His shorts were simple and green, adorned with a few pockets. His eyes were a deep inquisitive blue that seemed to be forever searching, forever looking for something. Those eyes held brilliance. On his face were three horizontal markings. Hiashi suddenly realized who he had been talking too.

The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, the host of the greatest of all the bijuu. A seemingly inquisitive child, who by a series of events he had no control of, was doomed to ostracization for more than likely the rest of his life. It was somewhat sad. Despite the fact that his face remained impassive, Haishi couldn't help but feel a touch of compassion for the boy.

"Fine then boy, I'll leave you today...but the next time I see you i expect an answer." He started to walk away once more.

"Wait! I never found out..."

"Found out what child?" Hiashi looked at the boy, his cream eyes taking a tentative look at the child. "Why did you bury the box the way you did, how did you make the air change, how did you make me so scared?"

Haishi looked at the child, an eyebrow raised. The boy was interesting, when he felt a sudden pressure on his palm he took a careful look at his daughter. The girl was hiding behind his leg, though her constant stream of tears seemed to have stopped.

"I'll answer one of your questions boy. When you figure out how to answer mine I'll answer your others. Agreed?"

"Yes."

"The answer as to how i made you scared is simple, its called intent, one uses one's chakra in order to send one's emotion, in this case my willingness to kill you to another."

"Wait...what's chakra?"

Haishi smiled down at the boy. Such a thirst for knowledge, such a shame it was going to waste. "That's two questions we agreed to one. Good bye boy."

Naruto pouted in childish disappointment as Haishi walked away.

xxx-xxx-xxx

The Fates are peculiar, strange mistresses that make the simplest of connects, the briefest of conversations have far reaching implications. Had Haishi Hyuuga's wife never spoken to him during her last moments in life, had her last act not been a desperate iron tainted kiss, had Uzumaki Naruto's innate curiosity risen just a few weeks earlier or later-or god forbid never at all- the world would have changed. Hyuuga Hinata would have spent her life in a shell, a mere glimpse of what she could be coming up only occasionally. Uzumaki Naruto would have spent his life ignoring the beauty of the world, the complex intricacy of the universe. Wildly fumbling, his potential only partly realized, Uzumaki Naruto would have fought his battles, won his wars, lost friends and loved one. He would have died fighting an immortal Uchiha, and died. His bijuu would have been extracted and the world enslaved.

But the fates were fickle, their weave for the tapestry of time was eccentric, the length of the strings they wished to use strange and existing as both short and long as t the same time. Because of this Hyuuga Haishi's wife _did_ have those words with him, His last memory of her _would_ be a bloody kiss, Uzumaki Naruto's innate curiosity _was _awoken at the right time. The fates in one flip of the wrist had chosen to weave this into their tapestry. And lives were changed.

xxx-xx-xx

He was crouched carefully over the small creature. It was a squirrel, small tiny and inconsequential. Its fur was brown, yet a pure white stripe ran up the middle length of its body. The contrast between was sharp, and even more defined by the droplets of blood that surrounded the small animal. Uzumaki Naruto looked between the small kunia held in his hands and the live animal restrained on the ground. He _needed _to know what made it tick, and so with some ingenuity,and a hastily constructed trap, he had caught one of the stupider of Konoha's nut harbingers.

Already he was carefully dissecting the creature. First he had slowly shaved away the creatures chest fur, then after carefully brushing away the fur he had started his work. Again he applied his kunai to the creatures tiny chest, slowly he ran the knife down it's abdomen. With a flick of his wrist the creatures tiny-rib cage was revealed. He smiled. It had taken quite an effort-and quite the number of squirrels and similar rodents-to get that technique down. He looked at it's tiny rib cage, the thin membrane of remnant muscle and thick applied veins beating up and down.

_Up and Down._

Uzumaki Naruto's mind drifted away, as his small delicate hands worked at further dissection. The man-he'd never gotten his name-had given him a funny enough question. How he to say with words what was was nothing more than inexplicable emotion. How was he to convey his _need_ to know? He needed something that had nothing but words. Like a bolt of lightning his mind made connection.

"The old man!"

His hand strayed, blood spurted out, and he cursed a loud curse. He looked down at the small squirming creature beneath him. He hadn't hit any of the inside bits, everything was fine, but he had placed a shallow cut on one of its back legs. A wide white toothed smile grew on his face, he hadn't killed it-he just wanted to learn not hurt things- and now he had a good portion of its layer of skin pulled back. He looked intently at the beating heart, the rising and falling lungs, the tiny yet plentiful intestines that coursed. The tiny kidneys tucked neatly next to the intestines and the adjacent liver. He looked down to his feet, he picked up a gray bout booklet-a gift from the old man-and a small worn pencil and started to sketch.

After a full ten minutes he had a relatively accurate, yet sloppy, sketch of the animal. He picked up the kunia once more. With a flick of his wrist he killed the small animal, ending its pain and suffering. Once he had tried to fix one of the animals. Sewing it up, the wounds had healed, but the animal had managed to get an internal infection and it suffered terribly before it died.

So now, he killed them with one clean slice. It was cold, cynical, and though he didn't know it showed signs of burgeoning sociopathic behavior.

He stood up from his dead crouch, stretched his limbs and smiled.

"I'll go talk to the old man, he'll know what to do."

xxx-xx-xxx

Droplets of red fell to the floor. Tiny droplets, thick with the smell of rusted iron, dripped of her fingers. Her small hands were balled into fists, tightly bound from her self-contained anger.

"_Be strong" _

Her mind trailed to her mother's words. Those last few moments, those two whole words, now defined her. Now _drove her. _She _would _be strong. She _would _be make her mother proud.

She pulled her hand back, and with a flurry of her wrist drove her palm into wooden post across from her. She gasped in pain as her hand splintered as sharp jagged edges of bone protruded from her skin.

"Hinata-sama that's enough."

She gripped her splintered hand, her face was a turgid mixture of agony, anger, and sadness.

"I have to be strong. Kaa-san said I have to be strong."

"You won't get strong if you cause permanent harm to yourself Hinata-sama." Her watcher looked down on her, a look of concern temporarily breaking the man's usually impassive face. "Let's take you to the hospital and get your hand healed."

"I have to be strong…"

xxx-xxx-xxx

"This," the elderly Kage swung his arm in a wide swinging arch, "this is troubling news Jiraiya. We far from ready for _this_. The Kyuubi's attack was ill timed, coming far too soon after the war. We haven't recovered, the next generation isn't ready, and the current is weary and tired. We need time Jiraiya, we need resources, and we have none."

With a worrisome frown the Kage looked down at the gathered information report.

"We have a few years' sensei, two to three at most, and that's only if we're lucky."

"Graduation age will have to be dropped again." The Sandaime mournfully, slowly, stated.

Both men got quite. A sudden oppressive atmosphere overtaking them. Soon, they'd be taking children, babes just fresh from their mother's teat, and sending them to their deaths. Soon they'd have to ask their people to send their sons, their brothers, their mother and fathers, their sisters and daughters, out to their deaths when he'd asked them for the same only a few years before.

"I have contacts in tea country, and my ties with Iron are still strong we ca-."

The door burst open, and a rambunctious blond burst into the room. His big blue eyes ignored the toad sage, and bored into the brown pools of the elderly Kage.

"Old man!"

"Naruto-kun, right now is quite an inopportune time, I'm in a meeting with one of my students. Why don't you wait outside until I'm done, okay?"

"But Jii-san…," the boy's voice droned out. "I need to ask you something."

"Naruto-kun, come now, be more sensible I'm in a meeting of-."

"It's quite okay, sensei let the brat ask his question."

The blond youth finally turned to face the white haired sage. His grin grew as he noticed the man. "Thanks old man!"

"No problem brat, but ask your question as quickly as possible. Me and sensei, were speaking on something very important."

"Jii-san, I need a way to…," the boy stopped for a moment, "I need a way, to say things, I can't say."

The old man stopped for a moment to quandary the boys' words. "Agh, I think I understand what you mean, what you need is dictionary my boy." The old man stood up and walked purposely to an adjacent wall, he grabbed a scroll from a shelf, and slowly returned back to the boy.

"Here you go my boy. This may help you in your pursuits, now why don't you leave. I have adult matters to speak off."

The boy smiled a wide grin. "Thanks Jii-san." Just as suddenly as he had rushed in, he quickly rushed out.

"He's got Minato's looks, but Kushina's personality it seems."

"More than you know, he's inherited the trait."

The sage frowned at the news. "How advanced is it?"

"At the beginning stages, so far. It's still easily manageable. Let's get back to the topics at hand."

"As I was saying, my ties in Iron will allow us to start importing weapons to supplement our own supplies, we can import rice from Tea, and we already have a strong relationships with Waterfall, they could act as a buffer between Stone and ourselves, at least for some amount of time." The old kage drawled out, he stopped as he observed his students serious expression.

"Jiraiya, what is it?"

"I wish to take the boy with me."

Silence reigned throughout the room. Both men said nothing as they each pondered the statement.

"Wars coming, and he inherited the Uzumaki trait. I need to prepare him, train him guide him."

"I simply won't send him out to battle until he's ready."

"Don't lie to yourself sensei." Silence fell over the two once more.

"Fine you may take him."

The two settled down into a comfortable silence.

xxx-xxx-xxx

**Man, I finished that. This was 4k words, that's ****surprising**** in and off itself. The lenth was sorta insane. Anyways I got to do what I wanted in this chapter. I introduced certain ****characters****, laid the foundations for their mental states, and started moving things around in the world. The first major change is Naruto himself, and his so called "trait." Which will be elaborated on later in the story. I don't plan on any time skips. So don't expect too many if any at all. The second major change was a war. I made a war a pretty early thing. Whatever. **

**I hope you all liked my story, and as always please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Been a while since I updated, sorry this chapter took so long for me to release, Ive been busy. **

**Review if you like please. **

Xxxxx-xxx-xxxxx

Hyuuga Hinata whimpered in pain. Her hand aching as her father's grip tightened around her wrist. Her face was twisted into a visage to torment. Tears trickled down her eyes.

"Tou-san, you're hurting me."

Her father remained stoic. His face impassive, unchanging. No compassion was held in those eyes, no sorrow, nor forgiveness. There wasn't anger, or hatred, rage or disappointment. Those eye…those eyes just were. They existed in a state she quite couldn't understand.

"Tou-san…." She whimpered out.

His grip tightened in response. His eyes suddenly gaining a look of fierce determination.

"Remember this Hinata. This pain," his grip tightened even harder, and she crumpled into herself. "This pain, the pain your feeling right now is nothing to what you will face when you become a Kunochi. This pain is trivial. Out there…"

His face took on a faraway look, as if he was remembering a time far gone.

"Out there you will face horror's I can't speak to you off. Out there you will be killing, fighting, _murdering_, for the village. Out there you'll lose your childhood, you'll lose your friends, and if you're not careful your life."

With a flourish he let her arm go. Slowly the pain in her writs ebbed away, and now her attention was focused solely on her father.

"Tell me Hinata, are you stronger than me?"

Hinata hesitated, pausing for just the slightest instance of a second before answering her father. "No Tou-san."

"Are you faster, smarter, better skilled? Do you have more experience? Have you shed more blood?"

"No Tou-san."

"Were you to face me in battle right now, would you win?" Haishi's face was stern. His voice once flat and plain was a sharpened knife, his eyes twin pools of cream that stabbed into her. Splitting through Hinata's body and piercing her soul.

"No."

"Good." He smiled at her. "You realize you would not win. You're young Hinata-chan, tiny and frail." Once more his face switched to a frown. Never before had Hinata seen such a wide range of emotions on her father's face. "In a fight with most of the ninja you'll meet you'll be out matched. They _will _be smarter than you, faster than you, stronger than you, older and more experienced. I won't be teaching you how to fight them Hinata, you're years from ready."

He crouched down to stare her in the eyes. His face directly in front of hers'. His eyes capturing her complete attention.

"I will be teaching you how to _survive._ How to face opponents who will out class you, and come out if nor intact at least alive. Do you understand?"

"Hai Tou-san. I understand."

"Good, let's begin."

He lashed out, and his palm slammed into her abdomen. "The first thing we will learn is defense." She found herself rolled into a ball. "You can't take a direct hit."

"Direct hit's mean death for one as small as you Hinata. You can't block, you're not strong enough, you can't dodge, because eve if you can see the attack coming your far too slow. To get around this, I will teach you how to flow with your enemies attack." He helped her stand. "The first step is to track my attack."

"Hai Tou-san."

"Are you're ready?"

"Hai…"

"Then let's try once more."

xxxx-xxx-xxxx

A wise man had once said every army needs to be bred, fed, and led.

Bred, you needed soldiers on the battlefield. Warm bodies placing their feet on the ground. Strong men and woman willing to lay their life on the line. Brave souls willing to do dirty deeds knowing their only reward would be a slap on the back and a nod of recognition. Konoha was sadly lacking in this. A devastating ten-year long war, a wavering two year peace period, and a vicious attack by a Bijju that had devastated their forces.

Fed, this didn't necessarily food exclusively. In general it cover supplies. Sandles for the shinobi, food for the shinobi. Perhaps more importantly _steel_ for the shinobi. Cold hard steel that wouldn't fail where a Jutsu would. Food pills, and posions. Ninja wire and smoke bombs. His troops needed supplies and while Konoha had them in store, stores were finite, and war could eat through supplies at an incredible rate.

Led, you needed heroes. Someone strong minded, fast thinking, quick acting. Someone the men could look at with _pride _in their eye and say "That monster, that monsters on my side."

"_That monster's killing for my ideals. My beliefs. He's murding those fucking bastards, giving them two fold for everything I, and mine recvied." _Leaders boosted moral, leaders kept troop inline, leaders allowed a mother to look at her sun and think, _He might come back._

You needed leaders.

Too bad they couldn't grow them on trees. Leaders had to rise to the action. Konoha desperately needed leaders.

All this filtered through Sabutori Hiruzens head as the early morning soon shone into his room. As his pipe let out a thick stream of sweetly scented smoke he let his had wonder to an intercom.

"Please let Danzou-san know I'm ready to meet with him."

"Of course Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen's eyes trailed to the door, as they slowly creped open. A man walked in, his step limped and forced. His body covered in wide expanse of bandages.

"Danzo…"

"Hiruzen…"

"It is good to see you, old friend."

"I wish I could say the same of you Hiruzen. Time," he laughed a quick harty laugh, " has been no where near as kind to me, as it has been to you. And I can't help but to feel that it has been more than a tad bit unfair with one such as myself."

Hiruzen allowed his own laugh to echo through out the room.

"Time is quite kind to your face my friend even if its not grace has not extended to your body. I wish I could say the same with either my face or my body."

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the two men. A stifling quite, a type of noiseless noise that fell upon those who were once friends but had long since had a fallen out, and just now, after many years, chose to consolidate their problems.

"So what have do you need for me Hiruzen?"

"The tree is in desperate need of its roots. It is nutrient are scarce, its seeds even scarcer, and in no way ready for the world. The leaves, which provide guidance, are not ready."

Silence fell over the two as both men absorbed the information.

"Tell me Danzou, what can the roots do?"

"What do you wish for the roots to do? Even the roots of the great tree are withering beneath the heat. But it shall accomplish what it can. If it has to steal the nutrients from the surrounding soil, if its seeds are not it's own; If its roots must ensnare the soil and poison the water of those around it…then so it shall be. The tree will not fall, it will not falter. It shall face the gale, and howl against it. Ask and the roots shall provide."

"The rice Diaymo, in the last war Konoha defended rice. Our men died to hold Iwa, and Kumo from storming the grain fields, from overrunning their defenseless strong hold and takeing the country as theirs. Yet…yet now, now when the time comes for Konoha's lost lives to be remembered. Now when we ask a favor of the ally we defended so strongly. Now when we have need of her, like she once had need of us, she refuses. She refutes our claims, ignores our calls for aid."

"Quite troubling."

"More than troubling Danzou; treacherous. We need Rice Country, its grain fields will provided food for our armies, and secure us an absolute way to feed not only Konoha, but also her troops in times of dire need. I believe Rice is in need of a regime change. Perhaps new blood will remind Rice of its commitments to us."

"You want me to orchestrate his?"

Danzou couldn't help but to smile at the revelation.

"No, I already have it orchestrated, I need it enacted. I need this to happen without a hitch, I don't want to slightest falter, the smallest misstep. Most of all if this fails, I don't want this being traced back to us."

Hiruzen pulled a scroll from a drawer. "There is a merchant heading to Rice in a few days time. He is well aquatinted with Rice's Diaymo, a childhood friend I believe. I want your root to infiltrate his guard. Assassinate the Daiymo, ensure it is an accident; his brother, he has no heirs and his brother is next in line for the throne. Needless to say his brother will be far more…amiable in his attitudes towards the village hidden in the leaves. The merchants guard is well armed, take care when disposing of one of its members."

"You expect to do this in….?"

"Jairiaya estimates a three year period before things start to go to hell, I want this mission finished in the next few months. That'll allow Konoha more than sufficient time to re-bluster her food stores."

"Your not giving me much time to work with Hiruzen….but I can see the severity of the situation, and it's not like the task is beyond the physical scope of your men. I can make this work, I'll need support though."

"What do you need?"

"Not much, I'll need money, my own coffers are shallow, and wouldn't allow me to pull the proper strings to turn the tides against the Daimyo and towards that of his brother."

"How much?"

"Half a million."

"Half a million? Half a million? Danzou, that's five S-ranks. The village is on hard times as it is…no." The old kage suddenly called out, his face taking on a look of concentration. I'll provide the funds privately. The village can't take that burden right now. I'll pay privately, consider it done."

"And after the war?"

"If we still stand in good grace…then, perhaps it will be time for rice to fall into the good hands of the land of fire. After all, a country that falls into civil war as easily as rice, one with a family that battles constantly over the throne, and sends its people into war. Well…" Hiruzen let the words trail out his mouth.

"It's the only humane thing to do." Replied Danzou. "I'm glad to see you haven't gone soft in the past few years. It's good to know that the man whom led us through the crisis of Oujou valley hasn't gone soft through the years."

"I may be kinder than I used to be in my youth, but that doesn't mean I've gone soft from age. Far from it."

With that the meeting was over. As Danzou left, once more Hiruzne's hands roamed beneath his desk. His calloused fingers pressed gently onto the intercom.

**xxx-xx-xxx**

Blue eyes stared rapidly as their owner observed; blond hair swayed lazily in the dry hot heat of the Konoha summer. The wind carried the scent of blood and death.

_He'd never seen a body before. _

Never seen the rotting decaying corpse of another person; smelt the stench of death and blood as it dribbled from the corpse mouth. The scene was grisly, the main laid face down, his face a blotched, splotchy purple, his mouth agape in a silent scream of pain. Yet despite this despite his face was somehow peaceful.

_It was beautiful, death. _

A strange thought he realized, for his first view of death. He stepped forward, and with his step came a better view of the corpse. Thick bruises marked its neck; his face was a thick deep purple hue. His eyes were wide, and one of them was a bloody red. Perhaps, most importantly was his clothing, or, rather what of it that was left.

The man seemed to have been stripped of most of his clothing when he had been killed, yet what remained indicated great amounts of wealth. Heavily armoed undergarments adorned the man. His undershirt was a thick mesh made of thin and finely wove chain links so spaced it was evident a work of human craftsmanship and not simple machine work. He dashed forward quickly, a thought suddenly striking him.

_If he was lucky…_

He was barely at the corpse before his small hands started roaming. Roving over the dead body, searching clothing and crevasses in a search for treasure. Suddenly his face morphed into a smile. A wide, broad, and white-toothed grin that lit on his mouth. He'd found it. Exactly what he had expected.

_Cash. _

Ten thousand in cold hard ryuu. Bound in a tight roll, strapped loosely to the man's body. He let out a low whistle, followed by a slight giggle.

"God damn Gaki, you'd think a dead man would deserve some respect."

Naruto whirled around at the voice. Blue eyes snapping to the other figure that now dominated the small alleyway. The main was a gaint, easily the biggest aldult Naruto had ever seen. His white, spiked hair flowed down to his back. Brown-black eyes observed him with a scowl adorned on their owner's face.

"Hey, you're the old man that was talking with the old man."

The man grit his teeth in annoyance, "I'm not old! I'm in the troughs of my youth, why, women adore me! Men bow before my might, and shake in jealous want. I am-"

"You're an old man."

"And you're a disrespectful brat that apparently robs the dead."

Naruto cast a confrontational look towards the old ninja, his face in anger as he took a mentally defensive stance. "He's dead, he doesn't need it anymore."

Jariaiya bulked at the words. His face morphing into a look of distaste. "That's besides the point brat! There's something wrong with robbing a man blind after he can't get back at you for doing it!"

The boy's face took on a look of trepid confusion. 'But…he's dead. He ont' need it anymore."

Jairaya stopped as he looked at the boy. His frown deepening as he thought. The boy truly seemed incapable of understanding what he had done wrong. He let out a long-winded sigh, realizing a lost battle when he saw one.

"Fine, whatever Gaki, look the old man told me to find you. He wants the three of us to have a chat."

"The old man wants to talk with me? Is it about the money...cause it's mine. I found it, and he doesn't need it." The boy pouted, the sanin pickedh im up, held him under his arm, and carried him towards the Hokage tower. The boy laughed as the man leapt from rooftop to rooftop.

"Faster!" The boy cried.

The sanin let out a heart laugh and obliged. Picking up his pace at the young one's command. When he finally arrived, the boy was a gaggle of childish giggles.

"Tha' was awesome!" He happily yelled out. "Again!"

The sandiame let out a quite laugh at both off their expenses. "It would seem that Naruto-kun has taken quite the liking to you Jairaya."

"I wish I could say the same about the Gaki. The brat has a mouth on him that makes him hard to take a liking to."

The elderly Kage let out another laugh.

"Jii-san. Why'd you call us here?"

"I called you here Naruto-kun because I wanted to speak to both you and my dearest student here." The Hokage chuckled at the last part. "Things, Naruto-kun, are about to become very hard for Konoha very soon. During this upcoming time of difficulties I will be incapable of protecting you, or, providing protection to you. Nay, providing you protection would prove detrimental to the whole considering the dire straits that we are in right now."

"Why would I need protection Jii-san?"

"I can't explain that to you at this time Naruto-kun. But do know when the time comes either I or Jairaya-kun will explain to you why you need protection, why you're special. But do know you are, that you do need protection, and that when the time comes Konoha will be unable to provide it. But fret not, that's where Jairaya-kun comes into the picture.'

Blue eyes turned to the toad sage. The mid-evening sun, preening past the windwos, glistening against the white hair of the old man. The man looked down, brown eyes staring into powerfully back into blue. Naruto couldn't help but to smile at the man, there was something in those eyes.

"jairaya-kun is a skilled Ninja, one of the strongest in the world. In my current condition he just might be able to beat me," Jairaya didn't know how to feel about the hybrid insult and praise. "If I were blind, death, and dumb, while also stricken with the daises of age."

Jairaya deflated at the jest.

"He will be training you, I want you to heed his words Naruto-kun. The man that trained our dear Yondiame, despite his flaws, is still one who's words you should take to heart. We may not be able to protect you Naruto-kun, but we will be able to train you to protect yourself. You'll be traveling with him as he's far too busy to stay in Konoha…is that fine with you?"

"So I'm going on an adventure?"

Hiruzen smiled at the young blond. With such childlike enthusiasm, it was hard to imagine the mental imbalances that were currently festering and growing in the boy's mind.

"Yes, you could say that you're going on an adventure."

xxx-xxx-xxxx

A palm lashed out and small body fell harshly to the floor. She let out a pined cry at her abrupt meeting with the floor. She felt tears watering in her eyes, and caught a whimper in her throat. Just as suddenly her father's firm hands were helping her to stand, and his normally hard eyes were carefully watching her. Again another sob nearly escaped her lips.

"I do this not do this because I enjoy to see you in pain musume*. I do this because I have no wish to receive a black bordered scroll announcing your death. Pain…dear daughter is the greatest of teachers."

His hands ran through her hair. "Your form was still far too loose, you stance not balanced. And despite telling you to only defend, to move and avoid me blows you still attacked."

He let her face free. Her small eyes looking to the man in a newfound light. "You must learn to defend, to avoid direct blows, before you think of attacking. So…let's being anew?"

"Hai Tou-san!" She watched as her father smiled at her enthusiasm, and a small burt of pride struck in her heart. Her mother's words drifted into her mind once more. _"Be strong for me Hinata."_

"Once more, attempt to avoid my blows, and _just _that."

Her father attacked, and she drew back, his blows coming in slow enough for her to see and attempt to avoid them. His first strike was aimed at her abdomen, and she rolled around it…only for another to be aimed at her head. She ducked, pulling tight onto herself like she'd been tought, and diving forward. She twisted on her heels and landed behind her father.

"Good, very good. You're getting better." She'd never received praise from her father before, it warmed her heart.

"But don't get too cocky," and he was before her, another strike flashing towards her body. It landed and she fell on her behind. The door to the training room slid open.

"Haishi-sama, the elders wish to speak with you."

Hiashi struck another strike at Hinata. The girl rolled beneath the strike, sliding past the blow, and swiveling around him.

"Very good Hinata, very good. Practice you Kata. We'll continue this when I return."

"Hai, Tou-san."

Hiashi left the training dojo, and strolled slowly through the alleyways of the clan compound. His eyes watching the smooth, unblemished cream walls. Observing the carefully planted flowers, the multitude of low, multi-room homes, the slow tenured stroll of his clan members and returning their respectful bows.

After a few moments he approached the Hyuuga gathering hall. A place where communal dinner was held on special occasions, and where the meeting of the elders was held in a far more secure part of the village.

"Dearest Elders." Haishi called as he entered the clan building. "May I request to the reason for my summons?"

"Yes." An elder spoke. He was a withered old man, well into his ninth decade, and had witnessed more combat than Haishi had been alive. His voice came out in slow withered drawl, carefully chosen, and timed. Despite its soft tone, it carried power and might. By far the oldest Hyuuga alive, the _eldest _elder was knowledgeable, wise, and patient man.

"Haishi, something is going on."

"Highest elder I assure you…"

"Assure me nothing Haishi." The old man frowned. His wrinkled face morphing into a true look of dictate. "Something is coming, the Nara are on edge, and if the Nara are on edge something _is _going on. The Akimachi, and Yamanaka are no doubt already aware of what's to come. They too, prepare. Yet the Hyuuga languish, we stand still and unprepared while he the other clans move on ahead of us. _What's going on Haishi?"_

Haishi sighed, his face taking a look of intrepid defeat. His frown deepening, no doubt, this meeting would be long and arduous event.

"War, looms on the horizon."

"War…" The old man sighed. "War, we need to prepare. Hiashi, first-"

Haishi sighed once more. Taking a seat as the old man started one of his overtly complex drawls. The eldest elder was a wise man, but still he spoke far too slowly, and far too much.

xxx-xx-xx-xxx

**This chapter is finished. I managed to start the development of some of the major ideas in this story. For instance, Haishi training Hinata, Hiashi's life, the sandiame's intrigue, and of course Naurto's development. **

**While this chapter doesn't focus too much on Naurot that's because, in a few chapters it'll be only Naruto and Jairaya, with a couple glimpses of Hinatas development, at the same time well be seeing developments throughout the rest of elemental nations. **

**Next chapter will have more of Haishi's backstory, and Naruto and Jairya will star on their journey while the sandiame continues his scheming. Please don't nag me about any spelling mistakes in my authors notes, these are quickly written a few moments before I release a chapter and are not spell/error checked since their not too a part of the story. **

**Review please. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! New chapter. This one comes in at around 3600 word so yay! As always read and review. please?Pretty please?**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter, I like criticism, so if you have some either review or send me a pm, i tend to respond to those. **

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**So slowly but slowly we're getting more popular. **

xxxxx-xxx-xxxxx

"Tell me brat, what's the easiest way to kill a man?"

Tiny brows scrunched together, as their owners face transformed into a look of concentration. They loosened as the child give up on his pursuit, his eyes, fell on the silver hair of his perverted master.

"I 'ont know."

The giant of a man pulled out a kunai, its reflective sheen glinting in the heat of the noon day sun. He looked down at the boy, his face taking a deep somber, depressed look. The severity of the message he was trying to convey to the boy, getting quite clearly across.

A kunai." His voice came out brisk and harsh. "No matter the jutsu you use, no poison you apply, no matter the fuinjutsu, nothing kills a man better than a simple kunai." He twirled the blade around his fingers gaining the rapt attention of the boy before him.

"Nothing makes a man deader than a slit throat or a kunai to the kidneys." The sanin stopped twirling the blade, and smiled down at the boy, his mind wondering to thoughts of a similar blond haired child who had those same blue, blue eyes, staring with the same rapt attention at him.

"Do you know how to throw a kunai?"

"No."

"Well," the man placed the weapon in the boys hand, the blade pointed towards himself. "Start practicing while we're walking, aim at moving targets, walk ahead of me so I can watch what you do, and fix your mistakes. I'll be teaching you while we're doing this okay?"

"Okay."

"If it seems like you're getting worse while I'm teaching you I'll stop. Not get walking." Naruto nodded at the white haired giant and ran ahead of him.

"Catch."

He turned just in time to barely accept the pack of kunia. He grabbed the pack, the green box held six kunia. They were simple, strong pieces of carbonized steel, they were also lighter than he thought they'd be.

A sudden poof had him turning his head. The giant that was his teacher had duplicated himself, and his copy headed into the woods surrounding them. The two continued on their walk.

"The bird in the tree to the left of us, blue and green feathers."

Naruto's eyes scanned the tree tops. A flash of blue caught his eyes, he sent one of the blades flying. A solid thunk broke the silence of the forest. Naruto scowled, he'd missed by a mile.

"Throw with your wrist, not your hand. The kunia's you're using are lighter than normal, they're made for kids. Keep in mind you may have to adjust for drop, further you throw the greater the drop and the less accurate you are. Normally they're also blunted, but what's a better way to teach Kunia safety than the hard way? Those things will cut you brat, try not to lose too many fingers."

"You know a lot, ont ya?"

"I'm one of the greatest gaki, now, to our right, the squirrel in that tree."

Once more the blond threw, this time the thunk was accompanied by the slick squish of steel meeting flesh, and the iron like taint of the smell of blood.

Jiraiya smiled at the progress. "Good hit, now what do you know about anatomy?"

"Anatomy?"

"What's inside people?"

"Oh! Well everything has a heart right, and a brain, and lungs to breath and stuff. They also have kidneys and liver. Intestines too."

"Hmm, that's the basics, but we'll get into depth with the major organs. You need to know where to hit in order to kill a man." The sanin frowned. His brown eyes looked at the small blond before him. "I think I'm getting ahead of myself. You know how the ninja system works?"

"A little. I know the kage is at the top, he's the strongest right?"

"You're right, the Kage is at the top. There a lot of requirements to become a Kage, you have to be skilled in a number of fields, be a Natural leader, a skilled politician. A kage has to be _one of _the strongest nin in the village, but that doesn't necessarily means he's the strongest. A kage without the other qualities i mentioned aren't kage material."

"Okay, but what does this have to do with the ninja system?"" Naruto turned around as he walked, his blue eyes stared at the white haired toad sage. The sun standing behind the giant of the man eclipsed his face, but nonetheless Naruto could see the annoyed look on the man's face.

"Be patient gaki, I'm getting there. The ninja system has four main ranks. Jounin, Special-Jounin, Chunin, and Genin. Of the ninja ranks, Jounin is by far the hardest to achieve, to give you an approximation Konoha currently has around five thousand thousand active ninja in its forces, of those on ten percent are jounin. Of five thousand ninja only five hundred, in fact less than that, are Jounin. Jounin rank is hard to achieve, you need the same skills i mentioned before in order to become a Jounin, and natural leadership is hard to come by."

"So if Jounin are only ten percent what are the others?"

This time the sage smiled. "Another twenty percent of the ninja forces are the special-Jounin. They are people who show specialized skills in one particular range, or field, while also displaying certain qualities of Jounin. Special Jounin, like Jounin are hard to come by. Then there are the chunin, over fifty percent of the ninja forces in most villages including chunin are made of chunin. The chunin are the backbones of the villages. Their the curriers, the messengers, the police in the rest of the villages."

"Why are there so many Chunin?"

"Because most people don't have a lot of chakra. It's as simple as that. Jounin have huge reserves of chakra, the same can be said of the special-jounin. Chakra plays a very big role in who you can become as a ninja, simply put, a ninja true limits are the limits of their chakra. That's why there are more clan Jonin, then there are civilian born ones. The civ born nin, just don't have to chakra to go much further. That's not to say there aren't some truly skilled chunin, there are. That's not saying they can't overcome the limits of their chakra either. Rigorous training and study would increase their chakra by great amounts and could lead to a jounin position, the simple fact, is people are generally lazy, and the same applies to chunin."

The sage stopped speaking. His eyes scanning the tree line. "Moving target, to your right, the robin."

It took Naruto a moment to find the target, but the blade was flying as soon as he's spotted it. He watched as it dropped from the sky, its body hitting the trail ahead of them. Naruto watched as Jiraiya's clone dropped down, collected the Kunia, the dead animal, and disappeared once more into the forest.

"Good job."

"The remaining twenty or so percent of all ninja are Genin. Hundreds of genin graduate each year, yet they make up little of the forces due to the weeding out process. The first two years as a gennin weed out the incompetent, the stupid, the weak and afraid. Hell even the unlucky. A graduating genin class of two hundred could be whittled down to a few dozen after two years. By the third year most genin are chunin, usually if after five years if you're still a genin you're a life time genin. You become nothing more than In village curriers. You see, once you survive the weeding out period it _really hardy _to remain a genin. Only the truly incompetent, or those without drive remain lifetime genin. Incapable of protecting themselves after leaving the village, lifetime gennin become in village ninja. They tend to take care of the bureaucratic side of the village. Handling the monotonous tasks of the basic running of the village, thing not important for people of higher rank and standing to look at."

Naruto looked at the man, his mind running through the rush of information, blue eyes glimmering as he processed his thoughts.

"Wait, what about Jonin sensie?"

"Good question. Jonin-Sensie are only given to those that show promise in the academy. Those who show a level of skill, and inherent traits that could lean to natural leadership. In essence if you show you could be great in the academy, you get someone who could make you great."

Again Naruto was quite. His mind once more thinking things through. "Well why are you telling me all this? Why explain so much, you could have told me the ranks and left it at that."

"To give you an idea, of what you'd be facing in the future. We may be facing Jounin on our travels, if we do, and I'm not with you, run. Run as fast as you can. Jounin, can, and will kill you. Their best of the best. The skill between a genin and a chunin could be considered a large bridge. The skill gap between jounin and a chunin can be considered an in fathomable gulf. A whole different level."

"So turn tail when we come across a Jounin?"

"To your right, above the trees. Blue jay."

The blade was gone from the boy's hand mid sentence. He let out a loud curse when he missed.

"Yeah, turn tail and run. Also watch your fucking mouth brat."

"Hey! Why do you get to curse and I don't?"

"Cause, I'm bigger than you. Now get a move on."

Naruto pouted but picked up his pace.

xx-xxx-xxx-xxxx

Isamu Hikaru let out a long slow sigh. His voice carrying with it relish, and relief as his system flooded with nicotine. He took another drag of his cigarette, its pungent smell wafting in the air. HIs mud brown eyes scanned the area immediately around him as his chakra pushed out, prodding for danger.

"It's clear." His rough gravelly voice called out.

His teammate landed next to him. She was a tall, lean Kunoichi, Easily dwarfing the five foot ten Isamu by a good four inches. Her hair a lackluster brown, dulled and matted down from a master who simply couldn't care.

"God damn it Isamu, do you have to smoke those damn pungent things everywhere you go?" Her voice while soft, was harsh. Her grey eyes burrowed into Isamus. His face was impassive. Uncaring.

He took another drag.

"It's called an addiction, Kaede. Addiction," he drawled his words out, backed it with a force of careful cynicism. "A physical, and psychological reliance upon a substance in order to function. Yes, I have to smoke everywhere I go. Now shut up, you'll draw attention to us with all the noise you're making."

"And your smoking won't?"

Wind swirled around him, taking the heavy scent of the thick tobacco with it. Isamu snuffed out his cigarette. Wind element wasn't normal among Iwa-nin, but Isamu was special.

"No."

He laept forward, His black hair whipping in the wind as he leapt from tree to tree.

"How far are we from the pass?" Kaede asked.

"Around four or five miles. We'll be there in about ten minutes of so. Start priming the tags, be careful, I don't feel like dying today."

"You've just got a great sense of humor don't you Isamu?"

"I wasn't joking. A grade explosives seals are expensive, and rightfully so. They take an average seal writer around seven to eight hours to make one, and they take a good charge of chakra to activate. If you're not care, well they can take you and everyone in a half mile radius around you with it from the explosion you fuck up, not only will I die, but the Tsuchikage will probably take my tobacco collection and sell it. I like that tobacco..."

"Why would he selling your tobacco bother you when you're dead?"

"I like my tobacco. Now shut up and focus. I don't want to die."

The kunoichi huffed, her face morphing into a resentful pout. Isamu brought his palm up to the bridge of his nose and attempted to fight of the advances of an upcoming migraine. Of all the people to be stuck with for this mission, he had to get one of the most childish Jounin in Iwa.

"Were here."

Kaede stopped her pouting coming to a stop in front of Isamu. "This is Midori path?"

Both nin scanned ahead of them. They stood on the edge of a mountain, beneath was a thick lush valley lined by mountains of it own. High cliff faces overlooked treacherous waterfall, all flowing down into a massive lake. The lake, a pristine hue of rich blue, and vibrant reflected green, flowed into a river. Above the river, carved into the cliff face, was Midori path. Beneath Midori path was what the world called the Riko River.

"Yes, this is Midorr path. Do you have the tags primed?"

"Yeah."

He pulled a small scroll from his pocket. With a push of chakra, and a poof of smoke, a rope, thick and reinforced by chakra, was in his hand.

"Give me the tags, I'll scale the face the rocks and plant the tags."

"Why are we doing this? i mean this path isn't used for trade. Why waste equipment and time to blow it up.

"Riko river starts at this lake, and is fed by those waterfalls, waterfalls that are fed by the snowcaps of the mountains in the spring. The river feeds into a number of smaller lakes, and estuaries. If we damn the river now, it wont be noticed for at least a year and a half. The estuaries hold enough water to feed the forks in the Ricko, for at least that long. Once its discovered it will take them at least half a year to clear the Riko, and that's with skilled douton users. If they don't have those then nine months to a year if we're lucky."

"But why?"

Isamu let out a sigh. How the girl had made Jounin he didn't know, though he did suspect politics, and backhand deals.

"In the last war, Konoha had its trade routes cut by Kumo, yet didn't suffer any major economic effects. The Riko is the reason for this. It allowed them alternative trade routes in times of war, and force Kumo to waste valuable manpower blocking things that had already been circumvented. This time, if their trade routes are blocked, it will be at least a half year before they become operational again. A half year in which we can do everything we can to hinder their effort."

"Oh."

"Hold onto the rope," he muttered, as he handed her it. He stepped back, patted his pants to check his cigarettes and leapt off the face of the cliff. He soured straight down for a solid minute, before he rolled his body, swung towards the wall of the cliff. He stood there, slammed a chakra powered fist into the cliff and held on. Slowly he started his climb.

A few minutes later he was there. The rope was pulled taut, and he felt the slight thrum of Kaede's chakra pulsing through it. He planted the tags, ran through a few hand seals and slammed his palm on them.

He tugged the rope, dropped once more and started to swing. He felt a strong tug as Kaede started to pull him up.

"Took you long enough."

"Only cause you weigh too fucking much."

"How long did you set em to blow?"

"A year, like Tsuchikage-sama said. Easiest A-rank I've ever taken."

Isamu stopped, and smiled. A job well done. He deserved a cigarette. He pulled out one of the sticks, its thin white paper feeling wonderful in his hands. "This..." He sighed out. His face taking a momentary look of ecstasy. "This is an addiction I can live with."

He nodded back to Kadea, and leapt to the trees.

xxx-xxx-xxxxx

"Please, Fugaku-san, have a seat. It has been long since I have sat and spoken to you, has it not?"

Fugaku, let a polite, yet obviously false smile cross his face. His raven black hair glistened in the mid evening sun, his pools of dark brown stared into the soul of the Kage across from him.

"It is a pleasure to speak with you Hokage-sama. But, may I inquire something of you?"

"Of course, of course, ask as you wish."

"What is the purpose of this meeting? Why have I been called here?"

The old man looked at the Uchiha clan head. His face calm, yet stern. He spoke in a strong voiced tone. "It has come to my attention that the Uchiha-clan feels somewhat...disenfranchised, and I wish the alleviate this problem before it becomes far more serious." He looked at the Uchiha head. His message clear.

_I know, I know, and I understand...in a way. I'm giving you a way out, take it._

"Tell me Fugaku-san, what I can do to ease the ailments of the Uchiha-clan."

Fugaku looked at the Kage, his own face blank as he thought things over. The Sandaime knew, they'd spoken about it, not in the clan meeting, but in the meetings of the elders for less than a month now. Little more than a month and already he knew. And he was presenting this in the opening. Admitting too many things, while also giving his clan a way out. A way in which they could benefit.

He'd except, he had no options but to accept. He felt despair in the depths of his heart, there was a spy in his clan. That too, he would have to deal with, but he couldn't because the Sandaime knew, and had let him know he knew. And know that it was in the open, to say,he could do nothing about it.

"The Uchiha clan has come complaints Hokage-sama. And I believe you will find most of them rational."

"Speak them."

"For nearly a hundred years now, my clan has strived, has fought, has stood to protect Konoha. Yet now, in the short few years since the passing of the Yondaime, the Standing of our once great clan has fallen. We who shed blood for this village, we who stood with Konoha and cast aside our leader nearly a hundred years ago. We who were the first to act when the Kyuubi No Kitsune attacked the village. We have stood firm, and unquestioning, and loyal all these years. No clan has shed more blood, sacrificed more members, stood more firmly in the defence of Konoha, than the Uchiha. No clan. And yet..." Fugaku's voice was quiet, his face still, but still the sandaime could feel the emotion in the mans voice. Hear the anger, the feeling of betrayal, the depression and worry. Hear the rage that seethed like a whirling storm beneath the calm facade.

"And yet, we are treated as dogs. Nothing more than hounds to keep the rowdy in the village, we are walled off, our reputations tarnished, our standing diminished. We are seen as thieves of techniques hard earned, and even harder learned. We as seen as cheats, liars, betrayers. What the Uchiha seek, is penance. We seek to return to our standing. To be remembered for our sacrifices. For our shed blood to be honored. For the Uchiha, to once more become what we were."

"I can't do that.." The voice of the sandaime was quite. More failures piled on his chest, more things he had let go too far. More regrets he had to fix before he faced the kami, and payed for his actions. "I can't change the opinions of thousands overnight, but I can help, if you are willing to work with me."

"I am willing to listen, and work, and work if terms are agreeable."

"Thats all I ask Hokage-sama, that's all i ask."

xxx-xxx-xxx

**Things are starting to pick up, this chapter was written in one day. I did it becuase i just finished my sat's and im pretty sure i aced it, so consider it a gift to you. All characters revealed today will be recurring. Things are starting to pick up pace! Soon, well start getting to the good parts, im debating doing a time skip next chapter, in one point its easy to do, and i won't have to write as much. In another point theres some stuff i want to address but that may be considered fluff,review and tell me what you think. **

**I have to say this is one of the few stories i have written i can honestly say i plan on finishing. I have an ending planned out and everything. I get out of school next week. Expect weekly updates, sometimes bi-daily once my summer starts. I write rediculesly fast, around 44 words per minute. Slightly faster than average but it allows me to post chapters rediculasly fast. I wrote most of this chapter last week on an hour flight to philly, and the rest of it in an hour or so today. So chapters during the summer should be comming out fast.**

**Aint too much action in this chapter. Just me laying donwn the foundations for my story, in a couple chapters things will start to pick up. Trust me and bear with me. **


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